Narcissus – Waiting Until October

Q: I have a small patch of paperwhite narcissus. They have been in the ground three years. When I cleared the dead foliage recently I saw that the bulbs had migrated to the surface of the soil. Should I dig them now or should I wait until October to do it?

A: The bulbs need to be shaded by something in summer, whether soil or mulch. Otherwise they can be damaged by heat and sunshine. I think your best bet would be to dig them and store until October. Paperwhite narcissus don’t often come back; you’re doing something right!